Flexible mounting cylinder washer and extractor mechanism



1940- E. SODERQUIST 2,217,351

FLEXIBLE IOUMING CYLINDER WASHER AND IXTRAGTOR MECHANISM Filed Oct. 4. 1937 2 Sho ats-Sh eet 1 'ITORNEY.

Patented Oct. 8, 1940 PATENT osrlcs FLEXIBLE MOUNTNG CYLINDER WASHER AND EXTRACTOR, MECHANISM Leslie E. Soderquist, Akron, ohio, assignor to National Rubber Machinery Company, Akron, Ohio, a. corporation of Ohio Application October 4, 1937. Serial No.'167,137

8 Claims.

This invention pertains to a mounting arrangement for high speed centrifugal extractors and the like and, more particularly, to a mounting arrangement for a washing or cleaning machine drum or cylinder extractor and its drive mechanism. The invention will be disclosed herein in an application to a cleaning machine extractor drum disposed for rotation' on a horizontal axis. 1

One of the primary objects of the invention is to provide a mounting which will support the cylinder or drum in such manner that the cylinder maybe rotated at a relatively high speed for the extraction of water, solvent, or other cleaning fluid without excessive vibration should there be anunbalanced condition due to uneven or unequal loading in the cylinder or drum or to cally and mechanically from any other mecha- .nism with which the same may be associated.

25 A further object is to provide astructure of the character mentioned which is simple, com' pact and eificient and which is capable of long life under sustained high speeds and heavy loads.

Astill further object is to provide a structure mechanism with relation to the machine as a whole;

i Fig. 2 is a large scale View in side elevation and partly in section showing a preferred mounting arrangement and construction for the cylinder or drum and its driving mechanism; and

substantially from the line IIIIII of Fig. 2 and looking in the direction of the arrows.

The rear frame of the washing or cleaningmachine is designated l0. Within this frame is a tub, the outline of which. is shown in dotted u lines and designated ii. The extractor cylinder Fig. 3 is a large scale view in rear elevation with parts broken away, the view being taken is indicated by' the dotted line I 2 while l3 indicates the drive pulley on the driving mechanism and I4 a'belt running over the pulley to drive the same from any convenient source of power. Certain braces for supporting the extractor and. 5 its driving mechanism are shown in dotted outline in- Fig. 1 and are designated I5, I6, I! and I8. These braces extend from the several corners of the machine cabinet-or frame to the extractor as will be more clearly apparent as the 1 description proceeds.

I In Figs. 2 and 3 braces i1 and I8 are illustrated at those places where they are joined to certain structural mechanism to be described.

The channel member l9 extends transversely between the braces I5 and I8 and is secured thereto, while a ring member is secured to and supported by the braces l5, l6, l1 and I8. The ring member 20 carries a ring member 2|, the central section of which is composed of rubber,

the outside members being of steel which may be vulcanized or otherwise secured to the rubber section. 1

A gear case 22, having an end portion 22', contains the transmission gearing including changespeed gearing for driving the cylinder or drum [2. A ring bracket member 23 is-carried by a ring support 24, which in turn is carried and supported by a bracket 25 attached to the brace I 9. The ring bracket 23 carries a steel band or the like 3| within which and between which and a steel band 32 carried by the end portion 22' of the gear case, is a-rubber band or ring 26. The ring member '26 is similar to the ring 2| in-construction in that it may be vulcanized to the steel rings 3| and 32. A drive shaft 33 projects from the casing 22" and supports the pulley l3 which is secured thereto in any suitable manner.

The drum or cylinder l2 is supported upon a driving shaft 29 which extends out of the gear casing 22 and which may besecured to.;the cylinder or drum in any suitable-manner. Mount 'edon the wall of the cylinder about the shaft 29 is a spinner designed to prevent dirt or liquids from enteringthe gear case. Inasmuchas the torque" of rotation of the cylinder or drum might tend to'rotat'e the gear case and its associated mechanism, and inasmuchas the cylinder or drum may be rotated in either of opposite directions, lugs 28 may be formed onopposite sides of the gear case to provide vabutments for springs 21 which at their lower: ends 'resttin recesses in the bracket 25. .The springs are adapted to yield to a slight extentunder certain-torque and load 55 conditions and of themselves will tend to absorb considerable vibration. These springs21, however, are mounted as closely as possible to the center of mass of the entire cylinder and the gear case mechanism when the cylinder is in loaded condition. v

The operation of the device may be described as follows: The pulley I3 is driven by the belt l4 from any suitablesource of power such as an electric motor (not shown) and in turn drives the cylinder or drum l2 through the transmission mechanism or gearing contained within the gear deposit the clothes or load within the cylinder as I uniformly as possible around the periphery of the cylinder. This gradual increase of speed has been found to result in a fairly uniform loading of the clothes within the cylinder.

Since it is practically impossible to secure absolutely uniform loading about the periphery of the cylinder, the dynamic balance thereof is bound to be disturbed and this out of balance condition would'result in excessive vibration at high speed even to the point of tearing the machine to pieces. However, with the construction described the cylinder and transmission tend to swing about the axis 34, the resulting gyration describing a cone, the apex of which is at the point 34 on the normal axis. In other words the resultants of any unbalanced fprces will be resolved or will tend to resolve themselves into gyratory forces so swinging the drum or cylinder, the transmission and parts immediately carried by them, that points thereon will move in circular paths about thenormal axis 34-34 and which paths lie in a cone or cones the apex or apices of which lie at approximately the mean center of the resilient member 26 and on a projection of the normal axis of rotation of the drum or, in other words, substantially at the point 34, while the base of the cone may lie be- I tween the lines 3535. However, while the torque effect on the transmission,,the transmission casing and associated parts tends to rotate them with the drum, such tendency is resisted by the springs 21 which still permit points on the casing-and on the transmission to describe relatively circular paths as mentioned.

The ring 26 extends axially of the drum shaft and forms a radial connection between radially spaced elements 22 and 23.- The ring 2| extends axially of the drum shaft and forms an axial connection between axially spaced elements 20 and 22. Ring 26 thus permits the slight movement of the driven end of the shaft about the point 34 while holding the pulley I3 or other driven element in proper line with the motor or other source of power not shown. Ring 2|, however, permits greater freedom of movement of the drum shaft radially under an unbalanced load and absorbs the vibrations thereof which are not transmitted to the frame of the machine. These two mountings permit the shaft of the drum to find. the axis of rotation under an unbalanced load about which the load tends to become balanced.

While I have illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of the invention and one use to which the invention may be put, it is susceptiq ble of various modifications and of other uses without departing from the spirit of the invenappended claims.

axial connection between said axially spaced elements, the other-of said members more remote from said cage including a fixed element on said frame, an element in radially spaced relation to the fixed element for rotatably supporting said shaft and a ring of elastic or resilient material forming a radial connection between said radially spaced elements.

2. A centrifuge drier comprising a cage rotatable about a horizontal axis, a drive shaft connecting said cage and concentric therewith,

' means for rotating said shaft, and spaced members for supporting said shaft, one of said members adjacent said cage including a fixed annular element, an annular element in axially spaced relation to the fixed element for rotatably supporting said shaft and a ring of elastic or resilient material forming an axial connection between said axially spaced elements, the other of said I members more remote from said cage including a fixed annular element on said frame, an annular element in radially spaced relation to the fixed element for rotatably supporting said shaft and a ring of elastic 'or resilient material forming a radial connection between said radially spaced elements.

3. A centrifuge drier comprising a cage rotatableabout a horizontal axis, a drive shaft connecting said cage and concentric therewith,

means for rotating said shaft spaced members for supporting said shaft, one of said members adjacent said cage including a fixed element, an element in axially spaced relation to the fixed element for rotatably supporting said shaft and a ring of elastic or resilient material forming an axial connection between said axially spaced elemeiits, the other of said members more remote from said cage including a fixed element, an element on said frame in radially spaced relationto the fixed element for rotatably supporting said shaft and a ring of elastic or resilient material forming a radial connection between said radially spaced elements, and yieldable means independent of both of said supporting members for yieldingly resisting the torque of rotation of said cage. 1

4. A centrifuge drier comprising a cage rotatable about a horizontal axis, a drive shaft connecting said cage and concentric therewith, means for rotating said shaft, and spaced members for supporting said shaft, one of said members adjacent said'cage including a fixed annular element, an annular element in axially spaced relaon to'the fixedelcment for rotatably supporting aid shaft andelastic or resilient means. forming an axial connection between said axially spaced elements, the other of said members more remote from said cage including a fixed annular element, an annular, element in radially spaced relation to the fixed annular element for rotatably supporting said shaft and elastic or resilient means forming a radial connection between said radially spaced elements.

5. A centrifuge drier comprisinga power mechanism including a relatively non-rotating casing, a driven shaft connected with said power mechanism, a cylindrical drum concentrically secured to the end of said shaft, and spaced members surrounding said mechanism for supporting said casing, one of said spaced members adjacent said drum including a fixed element, an element mounted on said casing in axially spaced relation to the fixed element and elastic or resilient means forming an axial connection between said axially spaced elements, the other of said members more remote from said drum including a 29 fixed element, an element mounted on said casing in radially spaced relation to the fixed ele- -ment and elastic or resilient means forming a radial connection between said radially spaced elements;

6. A centrifuge drier comprising a power mechanism including a relatively non-rotating cas-vcent said drum including a fixed annular element,

an annular element mounted on said casing in axially spaced relation to the fixed element anda ring of elastic or resilient material forming an axial connection between said axially spaced elements, the other of said members more remote from said drum including a fixed annular element, an annular element mounted on said casing in radially spaced relation to the fixed element and a ring'of elastic or resilient material forming a radial connection between said radially spaced elements.

7. I A centrifuge drier comprising a power mechanism including a relatively non-rotating casing, a driven shaft connected with said power mechanism, a cylindrical drum concentrically secured to the end of said shaft, spaced members surrounding said mechanism for supporting said casing, one of said spaced members adjacent said drum including a fixed element, an element mounted on said casing in axially spaced relation to the fixed element and elastic or resilient means forming an axial connection between said axially spaced elements; the other of said members more remote from said drum including a fixed'element, an element mounted on said casing in radially spaced relation to the fixed elementand elastic or resilient means forming a radial connection between said radially spaced elements, and resilient means associated with said casing for resisting torque thereof. 7 v

8. A centrifuge drier comprising a cylindrical centrifugal drum, a drive shaft connecting said drum and concentric therewith, means for rotating said shaft, and axially spaced members for supporting said shaft, one of said members adjacent said drum including fixed means, means in axially spaced relation to the fixed means for rotatably supporting said shaft and elastic or resilient means forming axial supporting connec-' tion between said axially spaced means, the other of said members more remote from said drum having fixed means, means in radially spaced relation to the fixed means for rotatably supporting said shaft and elastic or resilient means forming radial supporting connection between said radially spaced means.

LESLIE E. BODERQUIBT. 

